MANCHESTER UNITED TO PLAY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON? The first day of February was a particularly bad one for Manchester United supporters this year as Pep Guardiola was announced as the next manager for their rivals Manchester City. At the time, the Citizens were second in the table, just three points behind Leicester, and favourites to win the league.
Nobody really expected Claudio Ranieri’s men to last until the end of the season, and City had a squad full of players with the experience of winning the title. The idea of City being crowned champions again, only for Manuel Pellegrini to be replaced with the world-class Pep Guardiola, was a fairly painful one for United. To make the situation even worse, their club was in a dreadful position. Between November 25th of the previous year and January 1st, United didn’t win a single game in any competition, and found themselves fifth in the Premier League table. Remarkably, the tables have turned quite dramatically, and United now have the upper hand over their rivals. After beating Norwich on Saturday, and City’s draw with Arsenal on Sunday, United are now two points behind their local rivals with a game in hand. City took the lead twice against Arsenal, only to be pegged back both times, much to the frustration of the fans. As this was their last home game of the season, it was Pellegrini’s final opportunity to address the Etihad crowd. At the end of the game, he took to the microphone to give a speech, but embarrassingly, the stadium was three-quarters empty, with the supporters not bothering to say farewell to arguably the most successful manager in the club’s history. United are now in the driving seat, although it’s not plain sailing, with a trip to West Ham on Tuesday to come.
Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie, 26, and Watford midfielder
Troy Deeney, 27, are wanted by Leicester in a £40m double deal. (Sun on Sunday)
Arsenal will make a £30m move for Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge, 26, when the summer transfer window opens. (Sunday Express)
Antonio
Conte wants to bring Southampton forward Graziano Pelle to Chelsea and
will consider an £8m move for the 30-year-old Italian. (Sun on Sunday)
Manchester
United, Chelsea and Arsenal target Marqhuinos, 21, is frustrated with a
lack of first-team opportunities at Paris St-Germain and the defender
will ask to leave when he holds talks with the club's board after the
French Cup final with Marseille on 21 May. (Mundo Deportivo via Sunday Express)
Stoke
are lining up a bid for Norwich winger Nathan Redmond, 22, as a cheaper
alternative to 22-year-old West Brom forward Saido Berahino. (Sunday Mirror)
Former
Newcastle forward Hatem Ben Arfa, 29, is set for a move to Barcelona,
just a year after joining French club Nice following his release by the
Magpies. (Sport via Mail on Sunday)
Chelsea
could make a rival bid for Ben Arfa, while midfielder Oscar, 24, is in
talks over a summer move to Italian champions Juventus. (La Stampa via Daily Star Sunday)
Crystal
Palace manager Alan Pardew will sign a new contract after the south
London club secured their Premier League status with a 2-1 victory over
Stoke. (London Evening Standard)
Stoke City have signed a 'strategic partnership' with MLS franchise Orlando City. (Sky Sports)
Former
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes Chelsea midfield target
and Roma team-mate Radja Nainggolan, 28, is more than capable of playing
in the Premier League. (FourFourTwo)
Manchester
United defender Matteo Damian, 26, could miss the FA Cup final after
suffering a leg injury against Norwich City on Saturday. (Manchester Evening News)
Tottenham
wanted to sign midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, 26, until West Ham told
them it would involve a swap deal with striker Harry Kane, 22, according
to Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan. (London Evening Standard)
Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback, 26, faces a Football Association investigation over allegedly breaking betting rules. (Sun on Sunday)
Manuel Pellegrini hopes to find another job in the Premier League when he leaves Manchester City at the end of the season. (Observer)
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric says former club Tottenham's progress this season will benefit England at Euro 2016. (Mail on Sunday)
England
manager Roy Hodgson intends to speak to 20-year-old Spurs midfielder
Dele Alli, suspended for the final three games of the Premier League
season, about his tendency to retaliate. (Sunday Mirror)
Hodgson will select 24-year-old Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere in his 23-man England squad for the tournament in France. (Sunday Telegraph)
Liverpool
midfielder Jordan Rossiter is in talks over a move to Rangers, with the
19-year-old's Anfield contract set to expire this summer. (Mail on Sunday)
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